Combined wagon box and rack.



T; J. KENNEL. COMBINED WAGON BOX AND RACK.

Patefited May 29, 1917.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. I916- 1,228,1 1'7.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Thomas J Kennel Witness: Inventor w. SD21,

Attorney in: mums PETERS ca. Puomumou wAsmncmu. u. c.

T. 1. KENNEL.

COMBINED WAGON BOX AND BACK. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. I916.

Patented May 29, I917.

2 SHEETS-PSHEET 2.

7770/2706 J ff 6/7/7191.

Inventor I o/wu/a Z/C Attorney UNITED STATES. PATENT ornron.

THOMAS J. KENNEL, OF NEARIVIEIDDLETOWN, OHIO.

coMBmEn WAGON Box AND BACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917 I Application filed September 2, 1916. Serial No. 118,213,

improvements to secure such tightness of floor as to practically. avoid the loss' ofgrain.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in to the structure over the box-sides 7 when which Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of my improved structure in the plane of line a of Fig. 2:

Fig. 2 a side elevation of the structure, portions appearing in vertical longitudinal section in the plane of line b of Fig. 1:

' Fig. 3 an elevation of the head-end of the structure:

Fig. 4 an elevation of the tail end of the structure: 4

Fig. 5 a perspective view of one of the braces: c

Fig. 6 a vertical transverse section of a portion of the structure in the plane of line 0 of Fig. 2: 4

Fig. 7 a plan of one of the fastening .devices employed in securing the mainstructure to the sub-frame: and

Fig. 8 a side v'iew'o'f this fastening device with its parts disengaged.

A diversity of scales is employed in the drawings;

In the drawings, giving principal attention to Fig. 1 l t 1, indicates a sub-frame adapted to be secured upon the bolsters of the runninggear of an ordinary farm wagon by any suitable means, this sub-frame bein'gprefer z ably narrowed at its forward end to permit the usual horizontal oscillating motion of the front axle: I V

2, a deck disposed some distance above the sub-frame and forming the floor of the wagon-box or the rack: i

3, cross-sills resting upon the sub-frame and having the floor 2 secured to them, Fig.

2 illustrating the structure as being provided with four of these cross-sillsz 4, the ends of the cross-sills 3, these ends extending outwardly-beyond the sides of floor 2': v

5, the forward end-gate, permanently secured to the structure formed by the floor and cross-sills 4 j v -6,the rear-endgate, also permanently secured to the structure formedby the floor and cross-sills: v

f7, box-sides having pivotal connection withthe' cross-sills and'adapted' to take verticalposition against the side edges of the end-gates and formthe sides of the wagonbox, or to'be turned outwardly and downwardly over the outwardly extended ends of the cross-sills:

8, top side-boards adapted to be secured the latter are in vertical position:

9, vertical ribs, preferably of angle irons, arranged in pairs, these vertical ribs being permanently secured against the outer surfaces of the box-sides and having their lower ends extending below the lower surfauce of floor 2 and straddling the crosss1 s:

H10, substantially horizontal slots through the cross-sills where they are straddled by the lower ends of ribs 9: Y

11 a horizontal pivot through each pair of ribs 9 and passing through the slot in the appropriate cross-sill:

12, a stop upon the outwardly projecting endof each of the crossisills, these stops being designed to limit the downward motion of the box-sides when they are folded down to form a rack,the stops preventing the box-sides from going clear down to horizontal position, thus giving to the general rack floor a level center portion in conjunction with side portions inclining outwardly, the preference being that these stops are in the-form of bent irons secured to the tops. of the outwardly extendingportions of the cross-sills: V p

13, braces, each having" its upper end pivoted to a pair of the ribs 9 and having its foot supported by the appropriate stop 15, hooks secured to the inner surfaces of the end-gates within the box-sides, such hooks being located near the top edges of the box-sides and again at about the center of width of the top Sideboards: and 1 16, a rod at each of the hooks 15, these rods passing through the box-sides and top Sideboards, each having a hook at its inner end to engage appropriate hook 15 and having a hand-nut screwed on its outer end.

When the structure is to be used as a wagon-box, the box-sides take the vertical position indicated at the right in Fig. 1, and if it be desired that the wagon-box be deeper than the box-sides, then the top sideboards are added, the rods 16 being hooked to hooks 15 and their nuts tightened up. The boX sides and top sideboards are thus secured tightly and firmly against the ends of the end-gates, the bases of the box-sides resting upon floor 2 forming a tight joint, and the outward movement of the bases of the box-sides being prevented by pivots 11 reaching the outer ends of the slots 10.

As there are a number of pairs of the vertical ribs along each box-side the bases of the box-sides are firmly supported against outward movement. The braces 13 steady the box-sides against outward bulging at points between the end-gates. By this construction there is produced a grain-tight wagon-box with its sides well braced and permitting of satisfactory strength with comparatively thin box-sides. The braces 13 have their upper ends pivoted between their pairs of ribs 9, and the bails 14 are of a width sufficient to straddle the braces 13 and to swing down and over the projecting ends of the cross-sills. The permanent endgates 5 and 6 are as high as the wagon-box formed by the box-sides and top sideboards. When the structure is to be employed as a rack, the top sideboards are removed and the hook-rods of the box-sides are released, after which the box-sides are turned outwardly and downwardly upon the pivots 11, the box-sides coming to rest upon the stops 12 and receiving firm support from the proj ecting ends of the cross-sills, as seen at the left in Fig. 1. "When the boxsides are thus turned down upon the pivots 11, a longitudinal crack will be produced at each sideedge of fioor 2, and these cracks might permit the loss of grain sifting from grain bundles. To avoid this, the box-sides, after they have been turned down, are moved inwardly till their inner edges make tight joints with the outer edges of floor 2. When the box-sides are thus shifted inwardly they are secured in such position by means to be described later.

Continuing with the drawings, and giving particular attention to Figs. 2, 7 and 17,- indicates loops secured to the subframe at the front of the cross-sills and presenting themselves above the sub-frame:

18, tongues secured to the front of the cross-sills and adapted to engage within the loops 17 19, strong vertical battens secured to the outside of the rear end-gate near the side edges thereof and extending down past the cross-sill at the end and against the rear end of the sub-frame:

20, straps securing the battens firmly to the cross-sill at the rear end of the structure: v

21, removable straps securing the bases of the battens to the rear end of the sub-frame:

22, vertical stakes disposed against the outer surface of the rear end-gate, against the inner edges of battens 19 and having their lower ends normally engaged by straps 20 and 21 out of which, however, the stakes can be drawn upwardly: I V

23, a strap securing eachof the stakes slidably to the rear end-gates:

24, a similar strap for each of the stakes, but provided with a clamp-screw:

V 25, a door in the lower portion of the rear end-gate, this door having its upper edge hinged in a door-opening in the end-gate and having a length less than the distance between battens 19 and greater than the distance between stakes 22: I

26, a cross-piece secured under floor 2, preferably at mid-length of the floor:

27, a bail pivoted to each end of this cross-piece on a horizontal pivot:

28, a tongue secured to the lower edge of each box-side at its outer surface, these tongues being adapted to be engaged by the bails 27:

29, horizontal hand-screws through the bails and adapted to press the tongues inwardly: v

30, a pair of battens firmly secured to the outer surface of the forward end-gate:

31, a ladder-structure having its vertical rails fitted to slide between the battens 30:

32, a cross bar secured to the battens 30 and crossing the front of the ladder-structure:

and

34:, hand-screws by means of which cross bar 33 may be clamped against the ladderstructure to hold the latter in adjusted vertical position.

33, a second cross-bar, above the first one:

in downward position, that is to say, when the structure is to be used as a wagon-box,

and when the stakes are in this position, they engage outside door 25 and hold it closed. When the door is to be opened, as in dumping grain, straps 24 are relieved from their clamping oflice and the stakes may be raised, as indicated at the right in Fig. l, so that their lower ends are free of the door,ythus permitting the door to swing open. 7 When the structure is to be used as a e-rack then the stakes may be secured in any desired elevated position within their limits of vertical adjustment. If hay or straw is being hauled then the stakes may even be elevated so as to befree of the door, as any accidental opening of the door would do no harm.

When the box-sides have been swung downward, in the manner heretofore described, the bails 27 are turned up and outside tongues 28 and the hand-screws may be employed in forcing and holding the inner edges of the box sides the outer edges of the box-floor.

Referring to Fig. 3, when the structure is being employed as a wagon-box, the ladder-structure will preferably be in'its downward position, but when the structure is to be used as a rack then hand-screws 34 are loosened and the ladder-structure elevated, say till the bases of its side rails are even with the bottom of cross-bar 32, after which the ladder-structure may be clamped in its elevated position.

1. A combined wagon-box and rack comprising, a box-floor, a cross-sill disposed under the floor at an intermediate portion of its length and having the floor secured to it and having its ends projecting beyond the side edges of the floor,cbox-sides having pivotal connection with the projecting ends of the cross-sill and adapted to occupy a vertical position or to be turned down to substantially horizontal position over the projecting ends of the cross-sill, swinging braces having their upper ends pivotally connected with the box sides and having their lower ends adapted to rest upon and be supported by the projecting ends of the sill when the box sides are in vertical position and to swing off of and project idly down below said projecting ends when the box sides are down, and horizontal ties having their inner ends pivoted to the boxsides and having their outer ends adapted to engage exterior to the lower ends of the braces when the box-sides are in vertical position, combined substantially as set forth. 2. A combined wagon-box and rack comprising, a box-floor, a plurality of crosssills having the floor secured to them and having their ends projecting beyond the side-edges of the floor, end-gates secured to closely and firmly to .of vertical the cross-sills at the ends of the floor, boxsides having pivotal connection with the cross-sills and adapted'to turn down to posills, tongues carried by the bases of the box-sides, screws adapted to engage said tongues and hold the inner edges of the box-sides against the edges of the floor when the box-sides are turned down, and means for locking the box-sides in vertical position, combined substantially as set forth.

' 3. A combined wagon-box and rack comprising, a box-floor, a plurality of crosssills having the floor secured to them and having their ends projecting beyond the side-edges of the floor, end-gates secured to the cross-sills at the ends of the floor, box-sides having pivotal connection with the cross-sills and adapted to turn down to position over the projecting ends of the cross-sills, means for locking the box-sides in position, an outwardly opening door having its upper edge hinged in a dooropening in the base of the rear end-gate, vertically disposed stakes carried by the rear end-gate against the outer surface of said door but adapted to slide upwardly to release the door, and means for securing said stakes in adjusted position, combined substantially as set fort 4. A combined wagon-box and rack comprising, a box-floor, a plurality of crosssills having the floor secured to them and having their ends projecting beyond the side-edges of the floor, end-gates secured to the cross-sills at the ends of the floor, box-sides having pivotal connection with the cross-sills and adapted to turn down to position over the projecting ends of the cross-sills, a pair of ribs secured to the sideboards at each of the cross-sills and having their feet straddling the cross-sills, pivots uniting the feet of the ribs to the crosssills, a brace having its upper end pivoted to each pair of ribs and having its lower end supported by a projecting end of the appropriate cross-sills, and a bail pivoted 'to each pair of ribs and engaging outside of the feet of the brace pivoted to that pair of ribs, combined substantially as set forth.

5. A combined wagon-box and rack comprising, a box-floor, a plurality of crosssills having the floor secured to them and having their ends projecting beyond the side edges of the floor, end-gates secured to the crosssills at the ends of the floor, box-sides having pivotal connection with the cross-sills and adapted to stand vertically and to turn down to position over the projecting ends of the cross-sills, a pair battens secured to the forward end-gate, a ladder fitted to slide vertically between said battens and against the endgate and to occupy selective positions inde- .sition over the projecting ends of the crosspendent of the position of the box-sides,

and an adjustable clamp secured to the battens and extending across the face of the ladder and adapted to serve in clamping the ladder against the end-gate, combined substantially as set forth.

6. A combined Wagon-box and rack comprising, a box-floor, a plurality of crosssills having the floor secured to them and having their ends projecting beyond the side edges of the floor and provided with substantially horizontal slot-s extending transversely through them under the edges of the floor and partly under the floor and partly outwardly beyond the edges of the Copies of this patent may be obtained for floor, box-sides adapted to rest upon the floor at its outer edges and to turn down to substantially horizontal position on the projecting ends of the cross-sills, ribs secured to the outer surfaces of the box-sides and projecting down across said slots, and pivots carried by said ribs in fixed position relative thereto and engaging said slots and always vertically supported by the lower surface of the slots,

as set forth.

THOMAS J. KENNEL. Witnesses:

M. S. BELDE CHARLES VOLLBREGHT.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

combined substantially 25 

